The Scotch Queen (Scotch 2)

I felt the tension rise like heat from a fire.

Crewe didn’t say anything, but I knew his silence was threatening enough. He wouldn’t let anyone get away with that kind of back talk. There would be repercussions later. He probably just didn’t want to go to war with her in a concealed vehicle with his men in the back of the plane.

Crewe returned his attention to his phone like nothing just happened. His jaw was clenched in irritation, but he swallowed his anger. His arm rested around my waist, his touch warm and preferable to the ice-cold air coming out of the vents.

I thought I wouldn’t be able to sleep when I was so nervous, but within minutes, my eyes grew heavy and closed. I drifted off to sleep with Crewe’s lap acting as a pillow, feeling unusually comfortable despite all the calamity surrounding the ride.

2

Crewe

The plane touched down, and I was escorted into the back of the SUV at the airport. London was drowsy from sleeping on the plane, and she continued to lean on me for support. She’d never been affectionate or clingy before, so I let the closeness slide. When she was scared on the plane, I felt obligated to calm her down. After everything I put her through, it was the least I could do.

But Ariel wasn’t having it.

It was nighttime when we arrived in Italy, so there wasn’t much to see during the car ride. London hooked her arm through mine and rested her head against my shoulder while I continued to handle emails and text messages. Ariel sat against the other window, wearing a permanent sneer on her pretty face.

We arrived at my villa an hour later and passed through the gates. I had an acre of land with nothing but grass and oak trees, but the privacy was nice. It wasn’t as remote as my home in the Shetland Islands, but it was beautiful nonetheless. The two-story house was big enough for me and my crew, giving me the luxury of having most of the top floor to myself. I didn’t have to keep quiet when my ladies came to visit.

London finally woke up when we arrived. She stood in front of the house and examined it despite the darkness. There weren’t streetlights in Tuscany since it was rural countryside. Features were difficult to make out, and the crew had to break out their flashlights to find the entryway. “I can’t see much…but it looks nice.”

“Wait until the sun comes up.” We walked inside, and my crew carried the luggage exactly where it needed to go. Ariel stepped off to the side and made a phone call, probably returning all the calls she missed during the flight.

I hadn’t slept on the plane, so I was tired. I was ready to have a few glasses of scotch in front of the fireplace in my bedroom to wind down. Then I’d fuck London before I went to bed. Business could resume when the sun came up.

But I had to take care of something first.

London lingered in my proximity, not exploring the rest of the house without my permission. She was getting better with obedience, learning to follow my commands without my actually giving them. Like a new puppy, she was slowly being trained.

“Lovely.”

She faced me, her hair messy from sleeping in my lap during the flight. She was a low-maintenance woman who required little upkeep to remain beautiful. It was the only time I’d witnessed such a thing. Josephine spent more time perfecting her appearance than anyone I knew. Since she was royalty, I understood the necessity. But after looking at London every day, I realized appearances meant nothing. She was far more beautiful than most women I knew, without lifting a finger. Not too many women could say that.

And I certainly would never tell her that. “Wait for me upstairs. Third door on the left.”

“Why?”

My eyes narrowed.

She immediately understood this was one of those times when I wanted to be obeyed without question. She didn’t ask any more questions and took the stairs to the second landing. The rest of the men finished unloading the car then took their positions around the perimeter.

Ariel hung up her call.

No one was around, and we finally had the privacy I’d been waiting for. “Ariel, as much as I need you to stick around, I’m not gonna put up with that bullshit again. When I ask you to do something, you do it. Or you can find someone else to sign your checks. You understand me?”

She crossed her arms over her chest, wearing the same irritated look on her face. She had an astute business mind, and she understood all the tiny cogs in the machinery I’d built. There was no one better to have as a business partner. She had a brilliant brain and a fierce attitude. But I refused to be disrespected like that.